Handheld computing devices, “palmtops,” “palmhelds,” personal digital assistants (PDAs), or handheld computers typically weigh less than a pound and fit in a pocket. These handhelds generally provide some combination of personal information management, database functions, word processing, and spreadsheets as well as voice memo recording, wireless e-mail, and wireless telephony functions. Because of the small size and portability of handhelds, strict adherence to hardware constraints such as battery hardware constraints must be maintained. It is conventional to include a rechargeable battery in the handheld unit and further to include a recharging connector that is coupleable to a power source to enable battery recharging.
Handheld computing devices may include rechargeable batteries used to power the handheld computer and other on-board devices such as a wireless phone or wireless transceiver. The user must periodically recharge the rechargeable batteries by plugging the unit directly into a battery recharger or by placing the handheld computing device into a synchronization cradle that also functions as a battery charger.
Handheld computing devices that utilize radio frequency (RF) connections for data or voice communications require power for the RF transceiver modules that require substantial signal amplification for transmission and further require transceiver power for reception. Conventionally, handheld computing devices do not allow receiving of RF transmissions and/or the performance of RF transmissions when the battery has a charge that is below a minimum level. Accordingly, when a battery charge falls below a low minimum level communications are disabled. In such a case where the battery charge is too low for wireless communications, a user may plug the battery and/or the device into a recharger. The rechargeable battery will be charged during the time in which the handheld computer is connected to the recharger, but the wireless communications will be disabled during the charging period.
Accordingly, there is a need for a handheld computer in which wireless communications are enabled when the computer battery is below a low minimum charge level and when the handheld computer is receiving power from a power source for battery recharging, at least some of the power being used to power the RF transceiver. Further, there is a need for a handheld computer that allows RF transceiver operations when the handheld computer battery is being recharged.
The teachings herein below extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned needs.